From Deseret News archives:

Bush's Utah visit likely to raise millions

Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 12:05 a.m. MDT
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An earlier event today, originally set to be held at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, has been moved to a private home in the exclusive Arlington Hills neighborhood above the Avenues belonging to Sam and Diane Stewart.

Bush was to have appeared at a $10,000-a-person luncheon followed by a $500-a-person reception at the hotel. Now, though, the event is being billed only as a reception and the cost of attending may have dropped.

McCain's campaign moved a Tuesday fundraiser in Phoenix also headlined by Bush from the area's massive convention center to a private residence, reportedly because of poor ticket sales. The cost of attending that event was as much as $25,000.

The Phoenix event was also closed to the press after being relocated, apparently out of concern about the Arizona senator appearing with an unpopular president. The last time the pair were together was at the White House in March, when Bush endorsed McCain.

Bridgewater said McCain likely would have attended today's fundraisers had he not already been in Utah recently. He said because Utah is so solidly Republican, the campaign is more focused on surrounding battleground states such as Nevada and New Mexico.

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Two protests are planned in Salt Lake City during Bush's visit, including an hour-long "Peace and Human Rights Rally" set to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake City-County Building led by former Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson. The other is sponsored by Moveon.org, which challenges people to differentiate between McCain and Bush quotes, scheduled for the Salt Lake City Main Library at 6 p.m. It is actually one of more than 300 identical events being held nationally tonight, so its pairing with the Bush visit is mostly coincidental.


E-mail: lisa@desnews.com

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